Valiant Return
by Ashatara
Summary: Torchwood/Doctor Who Jack/Ianto Set after the Year That Never Was. The Doctor can't fix the Tardis, Jack offers him a place at Torchwood until he can.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood, or Doctor Who. Did you honestly think I did?

The thick door rolled away with a somewhat mechanical whine to reveal an impossible, haphazard, and yet…somehow _organised_ collection of oddities. Series of stairs and metal walkways, computer workstations where the monitors seemed to glow with life while the ever-present dripping of water and slightly grungy walls stood as the barest reminder that they were in fact, underground. And who could forget the tall metal spire reaching up through the high ceiling and through the Plass above? Or the occasional screech of a pterodactyl echoing up from the tunnels?

The Hub. Jack took a deep breath, letting the familiar scents of the Hub wash over him and ease some of the tension still knotted in his shoulders. He was home. Or as close to a home as he had ever come. He was back where he belonged, and the Year that Never Was…never was. His team was still alive. Tosh, Own, Gwen, Ianto – Oh God, Ianto! They were all still alive.

There was an odd smile on his face as he turned to the man next to him. Brown-haired and skinny as a rat, this man was dressed in a pinstriped brown suit, his long brown coat discarded (and most likely forgotten) somewhere.

"Well Doctor…Torchwood Three. Here we are. How d'you like it? Torchwood One was, well, you know, Canary Wharf and all. Torchwood Two is some guy in Glasgow. More often drunk than useful – unless you were after a good drink, of course. Torchwood Four's missing. Been missing so long I sometimes wonder why we still bother to call it 'missing'."

Jack had noticed, the past two days, that the Doctor was rather…well, depressed. Perfectly understandable of course, considering all they'd been through on the Valiant…and the Doctor _had_ just lost the last Timelord apart from himself (although Jack suspected there was _far_ more to that relationship than the whole 'last-of-my-race' thing). And of course, the cannibalised TARDIS was still a glowing wreck of a paradox machine…

The Doctor hadn't been able to fix her (yet), and it was surely unhealthy for the Timelord to spend all his time around something so _wrong_. So Jack had offered him a place at Torchwood until things worked out for the better. Jack might seem _wrong_ as well, but in comparison to the wrongness of a paradox machine…well, it was better for the Timelord to spend his time with Jack than inside _that._ Wasn't it? Jack knew the Doctor was hurting, knew from his tiny glances that all the Doctor wanted to do was run, off to new worlds, new lives, so wrapped up in the lives of others that he simply forgot, all the while running. And now he couldn't. Didn't even have the Tardis to comfort him.

So much loss. So much loss, after so much hope, and nothing to show for it. Nothing to mark that Year, because it had never even existed. It had affected them all, really. But the Doctor had become withdrawn; his usual chatter had died, dwindled to a forced reply here and there. And so, Jack found himself filling up the silences more and more with his own voice, his own inane chatter. It wasn't enough, but it was better than the silences. Silences were dead. And dead was not something Captain Jack Harkness could stand right now. He knew the Doctor felt the same – he could feel his gratitude. And so, he kept going, for both their sakes.

A few hours later, the sun rose over the Bay, and Captain Jack glanced at a watch – most likely Gwen's – which he had found behind the couch. The fact that he had been _looking_ behind the couch at all only served to emphasise how little there was for him to do.

"Doctor?" he called, "They should be here soon."

No response.

Oh well, it wasn't like he had really expected one. Jack wandered down the stairs and found the Doctor standing at a bench covered with unsorted alien artefacts, methodically sorting them into piles. His hands passed over a greenish necklace with an alien inscription on it, a piece of cloth which was transparent and then glittering in turns, a pen which looked suspiciously as if it were there by mistake and was actually the property of one Doctor Owen Harper, and an object which vaguely resembled a gun, only alien, and with a coiled golden wire twisted around the outer frame.

"Jack," The Doctor exclaimed, waving the object at him, "You do know you have a modified Chula healing gun, right? It's about three quarters full with nanogenes. Remember the_ last_ time nanogenes were let loose on this world?"

It was by far the longest speech Jack had heard from the Doctor in days. He shrugged, masking his surprise.

"No idea. My team must have picked it up while I was uh…away. Still, nice to know we have it I suppose. Might come in handy one day.'

The Doctor just gave him a look. For a moment - just one – Jack felt as if everything was alright. As if...this was the _old_ Doctor. _Before_ the Valiant.

Jack turned as a light flashed and the door rolled away with a whine again. It was impossible (or at least, he liked to think so) to get into the Hub without making any noise. His team stepped through, laughing at some joke Gwen had just told. She and Owen walked in first, with Toshiko and Ianto bringing up the rear. They looked cheerful and only a little worse for wear after an early morning alien chase.

It was perhaps, a credit to them that it took all of three seconds to fall silent and have their guns out and ready.

"Jack?" Gwen whispered, eyes wide as if she could barely believe it.

"It's me." Jack sighed, a surge of emotion springing up inside him. They were _alive_!

"Yeah, sure. And how do we know that?" Ah, Owen. Feisty, hot-tempered Owen. His voice was laced with steel and utter disbelief.

"Look at him Owen. It's Jack!" Toshiko's voice piped up from behind.

"Yeah. Or another shapeshifter. The last one was Suzie for fuck's sake!"

"Those shapeshifters go fuzzy round the edges when you stare at them for too long. Jack doesn't. Well unless you-" Ianto caught himself. "Well. Either way, I'm more concerned with the man over there with the alien gun."

The Doctor dropped the healing gun back onto the table. "I wasn't going to do anything, I swear! Honestly, what is it with Torchwood and guns?"

"He couldn't have done anything either. That's a sort of 'healing gun'. Filled with nanogenes. You might want to take a look at that Tosh. Interesting things, nanogenes. Trust me."

"Yeah. And if you're not Jack, we can't. Easiest way to prove it?"

Owen pulled the trigger.

Jack's world exploded with a loud bang. His chest was on fire, and then, suddenly, he was falling backwards, and waiting. Waiting for the floor to catch up with him, waiting for the darkness he knew was coming. His last moment was one of panic, utter panic, and slight surprise that he hadn't landed on the hard, cold metal, but rather into something softer.

**A/N:** Normally, I detest notes. 'Specially at the end. If you liked this, please review. Cause otherwise...well, I won't think it's good enough to continue.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Torchwood, or Doctor Who. Honestly, did you think I did?

"Now what in Rassilon's name did you do that for?" The Doctor exclaimed, glaring up at Owen. "Is that Torchwood's policy then, shoot first and ask questions later? That's what I _hate_ about you military types. Always with the guns!"

He stood, the Captain's body still safely captured in his arms, and made for Jack's office. Ianto was still staring in shock. He took a step forward after it subsided, realised the moment had passed, stopped, and looked away. He was glad Gwen and Owen, in front as they were, hadn't seen. But at the same time, he resented them for being in front of him, resented the Doctor for catching Jack (although he was grateful that Jack had been caught at all). And he definitely hated Owen at the moment for shooting Jack. Ianto was a wreck.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going? What are you doing?" Owen shouted after him.

"In case you haven't noticed, he needs a doctor. I _think_ I'm the most qualified here?"

He carried Jack into the office, closed the door behind him, and then looked for somewhere he could lay Jack until he came round. A couch in the corner served his purpose perfectly. It was a few minutes before Jack gasped, the panic finally catching up with him. His eyes were shot with pure terror, and the shock of coming back _again_ almost had him hyperventilating. His deaths flashed before him, each more vivid than the last. His time on the Valiant… Before he knew it, there were tears, and he clutched at anything in reach.

"Shh…shhh…it's alright Jack. It's the Doctor. Hello! We're in your office. Your team's outside. They're alive. The Paradox has gone kaplooey. Interesting word, kaplooey. Never used it before. Well…I say never, but there was this one time when -"

The Doctor tried his best to comfort Jack, not even bothered that Jack had taken hold of his suit and was dragging him closer. Two minutes were all that Jack needed to calm down and let go of the Doctor.

"Thanks." He said, taking a deep breath. The Doctor only nodded.

The team hadn't moved, but were standing, just inside the entrance, looking at each other.

"Well?" Tosh asked, "What should we do?"

Gwen shook her head.

'It's the doctor. Jack's doctor." Ianto commented, holstering his gun with an intense look on his face. The team looked at him. "What? Jack kept talking about a doctor. A special one. I figure, Jack trusts him, we trust him."

"Ianto, that might not be Jack." Gwen spoke slowly, enunciating every word so that the gap in her teeth became even more prominent. "He hasn't even come back to life! He abandoned us!"

Ianto just stared at her. After awhile, he said simply, "I believe in him."

"Fat lot of good that does, teaboy. What do you think Jack is, Tinkerbell? He's not going to come back just because you clap your hands and _believe_ in him!"

Despite Owen's words, his voice wavered, as if he too, were hoping for a miracle, but couldn't bear to look.

"Let's just go and see, shall we?" Tosh asked, leading the way to Jack's office. After a slight hesitation, they all followed her like a lost flock of sheep, grateful for a leader, any leader. Tosh lead them past their workstations to the closed office door, but couldn't bring herself to open it. She looked at the others, pleading for help. Gwen stepped forwards, but Ianto pushed past her, reached for the doorknob and fell forwards through the somehow already opened door and into Jack's surprised arms.

"Whoah there!" Jack exclaimed, steadying Ianto and pulling him into a close embrace. Ianto's eyes had fluttered shut as he stumbled, but even in the darkness, he _knew_ Jack. He knew this. He knew Jack's touch, how Jack's arms felt around him, Jack's scent surrounding him, those 51st century pheromones making his head spin. There was no way this _wasn't_ Jack. Just as he was about to announce his conclusion to the team, Jack pulled back. Ianto opened his eyes, looking up in surprise, slightly hurt, until Jack stepped back towards him and their mouths met, brushed feather-light against each other until Ianto press forward and claimed a _real_ kiss.

"Yep." Owen remarked dryly, "Definitely Jack. No doubt there. We'd better get back to work before he thinks there's a line."

Tosh hid a smile and wandered away to her workstation, nudging Gwen (who's eyes had bulged as Jack had appeared and then – and then! – kissed _Ianto_.) to do the same. Owen tried to sneak away, eyes averted.

"Owen!" Jack barked, having pulled Ianto to his side.

Damn. Why did Owen always have to have the rotten luck? He turned, slowly.

"Be reasonable Jack, it was just a bullet. A test. I mean, it's not like it actually _did_ any damage, right? You came back. We've been tracking these shapeshifter things. Had to make sure you weren't a danger, right?"

"Owen. You shot me. Again! What the hell were you thinking? How is that a test?"

"Maybe he has a morbid curiosity with death, sir."

Jack winced.

"Look Jack. I'm sorry about shooting you – again – but it was necessary, alright? You didn't tell anyone you were leaving, you didn't tell anyone you were back. What were we meant to think? I was just putting the safety of the team first. Without you around to play heroics, we have to look out for each other. And you're immortal. What's a little bullet wound if you can't die?"

"Painful." Muttered Ianto. Jack couldn't agree more.

**A/N:** Normally, I detest notes. 'Specially at the end. If you liked this, please review. Cause otherwise...well, I won't think it's good enough to continue


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Okay. This is meant to be the second part of the second chapter. I somehow missed it when I posted it last night. So it'll count as chapter 3 here, and yet, in anything that goes up anywhere else, it'll still be stuck on the end of chapter 2.. And for some reason, is not liking blank lines..

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Torchwood, or Doctor Who. Honestly, did you think I did?

-

The day was drawing to a close. Gwen scooted over to Jack for a hug and then left with Tosh, the two of them waving at Ianto (the Doctor had disappeared somewhere) before leaving. Owen hurried after them, afraid to be left alone with Ianto and Jack, neither of whom seemed to have forgiven him just yet. Ianto's glare was possibly the most terrifying thing he had ever faced, cage full of Weevils included.

The Hub was quiet again. Ianto picked up a cup of coffee and made his way up to Jack's office, glancing curiously at the blue police box in the shadowy corner of the main hub area. He wondered why nobody had commented on it that day, and then shrugged and continued on his way.

He knocked on the door. "Jack?"

A muffled 'Come in' sounded through the door.

Jack looked up from his desk as Ianto walked in with a cup of coffee in his hands. He smiled a smile which made Ianto stutter.

"Uh..I um, brought you a cup of coffee sir."

And there was that smile again. Ianto walked around the side of the desk and handed the cup to Jack, who took a sip and sighed.

"You don't know how much I've missed your coffee, Ianto. The whole time I was away…if only I'd had your coffee…it wouldn't have seemed so long."

"You were only gone for three months sir."

"Felt like a year to me."

Ianto had to agree with that. Every day without Jack had felt like a day without purpose. Not that he would admit it, but when Jack left, it had been…as if a part of Ianto had died. He knew that one day, Jack would just leave again, and another piece of Ianto would disappear. Maybe it was better for him, safer for him to stay away altogether. But then…Captain Jack was like an addiction. And Ianto was already hooked.

"I er...was thinking…if you'd like to go out for dinner, a movie?" Ianto asked hesitantly, "You know, to celebrate your return." He added quickly.

Jack paused for a moment, the smile on his lips going from loving to mischievous. No, Ianto decided, it was positively _wicked_. His eyes sparkled.

"Are you asking me out on a date, Ianto Jones?"

"Well, uh. I-" Ianto spluttered.

Jack stood, and was almost startled by how close Ianto was to him. He took the opportunity and gave Ianto a quick kiss. Ianto closed his eyes, but the kiss was almost over as soon as it had begun. It was incredibly chaste, for Jack. Ianto was decidedly worried now.

"On any given day I'd say yes automatically. In fact, I still do say yes -"

Ianto's heart sank.

"-but not tonight Ianto. I need to make sure the Doctor's okay."

"Of course." Right. The Doctor. Jack's doctor. The one who had caught Jack after Owen shot him. Ianto was just about ready to hate the man right now. How had he reacted so quickly? Why had Ianto just stood there, behind Gwen and Owen, too shocked to move?

"But tell you what, I'll ask Martha to come down. She can keep the Doctor company, and then you'll have me all to yourself, how's that?"

How could Ianto resist that smile? He nodded and stepped back. "Another day perhaps. I'll uh…be off then." He turned.

"Ianto?"

"Hmm?"

"I am sorry you know. Get some sleep tonight. You look tired."

Ianto _was_ tired. He hadn't exactly been sleeping well the past few months. _Ever since Jack disappeared_, his brain supplied. _Disappeared with the Doctor. _Like he needed reminding.

"And don't forget," Jack continued, "you owe me a date!"

Ianto could feel his cheeks tinge red as he smiled back at the Captain, said goodbye and left as happily as he could manage. It was only when he was home, where he knew Jack couldn't possibly see him that he let the sinking feeling in his heart take hold. Ianto didn't want Jack to know how much he had affected him, and so, while Jack could still be watching on CCTV, he held it all back, and pretended. Ianto was a good actor. He had always been. He had to be.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Torchwood, or Doctor Who. Honestly, did you think I did?

-

Ianto sipped at his freshly made coffee, taking deep breaths along with it. He had always found the smooth aroma of fresh coffee relaxing, able to ease any tension from weary bones after a hard day at work, no matter what he'd had to do. Today though, here was no such effect. He glanced momentarily over at the fridge. No…he didn't feel like eating. Again. Belatedly, he wondered when the last time he had gone grocery shopping was. Not in awhile, at least.

A shower, he thought. A shower and then bed. Sleep if he could manage it.

He rinsed the cup and set it aside to dry before walking out of his little kitchen. Loosening his tie, he made for the bathroom, hoping the hot water would wash Jack and the Doctor out of his thoughts. But standing under the showerhead, eyes closed, water cascading down on him, trickling down his back…he couldn't help but think of Jack's heart-warming smile, Jack's loving touches heating his skin, Jack holding him, as if he were the most precious thing on Earth…

Ah. But that was the catch, wasn't it? Jack wasn't _from_ Earth in the first place (and neither was the Doctor). He wasn't even from the 21st century. To him, Ianto was just another in a long list of people he'd been in a relationship with. Ianto was willing to bet Jack didn't even see him that way. He wasn't even sure if what they had could be _called_ a relationship. It was just meant to be a casual thing, wasn't it? And Jack had never said anything to the contrary. But still…Ianto had _felt_ there was more…right up until the moment when Jack had just vanished on him.

The water was turned off. Ianto, towelled and dry, changed into his black silk pyjamas and went to bed yawning. But with the lights off, and the light from outside cut out completely by thick, heavy black curtains, Ianto was wide awake. The bed seemed to big for one person - and too cold. And the darkness was terrifying. Staring into the darkness…he couldn't see anything. It was just…nothing. A cold, bleak nothing. There was nothing there for him, nothing there to keep Ianto sane. He squeezed his eyes shut and grabbed the pillow next to him, hugging it to his chest as if it were his last lifeline, breathing in it's scent in desperation. It was Jack's. Or at least, it was the pillow Jack had used, on the few nights he had actually been there, watching Ianto as he slept. But now, even with his eyes closed, with Jack's pheromones all around him, Ianto was still panicking.

He had crashed after Lisa's death. The weeks he had spent suspended, he had almost been ready to kill himself. Only Jack had stopped him. Jack had thrown him a lifeline, saved him from drowning in misery, guilt, sorrow. Saved him from the darkness, the nothingness. Everything that was Ianto after that was because of Jack. Jack had become the foundation of Ianto's life, his main reason for being. When he left, what had been left of Ianto had floundered, tried to keep afloat…and failed. And now, here he was again.

_Like a fucking rollercoaster_.

His return had filled Ianto with hope. "I came back for you", Jack had said. The darkness faded, only to come crashing down again at Jack's refusal, Jack saying the Doctor needed him. Ianto Jones was a man of subtext.

He rolled onto his other side, got up and turned the lights on. He briefly contemplated throwing the curtains open as well, but turned down the thought. He'd rather keep this part of him to himself than expose it to the world. He got back into bed, hoping the light would help him sleep, still clutching helplessly at the pillow.

--

Jack sighed, hoping his words hadn't cut Ianto too deeply. Truth be told, Jack wasn't all that sure he was up to a relationship yet. He hadn't even been prepared earlier, when Ianto had kissed him! It was as far from Jack's usual demeanour as he had ever imagined. The mere thought of having someone so close to him…of entrusting himself to someone, or even a _part_ of himself…was daunting. Not that he'd _ever_ admit it, of course, but Jack's fears of loss…and pain…and grief…Well. As if he would stop for long enough to finish that thought. Living as long as he had, he knew when to stop so that the darkness wouldn't catch him.

He drained the coffee – and it _was_ very good coffee. He had meant it earlier, saying that coffee alone would have helped him on the Valiant. Not the coffee itself, but the fact that it's sheer existence reflected Ianto's. To be able to drink that coffee…meant Ianto was alive. Safe. And most definitely _not_ murdered before his eyes. No. He couldn't think of that right now. He would panic if he did, and panic was bad.

He stood and shook his head roughly, as if infectious thoughts could be physically shaken away. Ianto would have laughed at him. A memory flashed before his eyes. _Ianto dragged into the room, hands bound behind his back, still wearing that suit. Ianto's determined eyes faltering as they locked onto Jack. The Master's laughter. The pleas welling up inside Jack. Knowing he was utterly powerless. Knowing if he pleaded, it would only be worse for Ianto. Ianto alive. Ianto dead. The Master's laughter. The drums. The soothing abyss of death. The darkness._

Jack's hands, clenching at the side of the table, were the only things that prevented him from crashing. He could feel it, right on the edge of all the checks he had placed on it, the panic, threatening to blind his vision and erupt. He took a deep breath, eyes closed, and pushed it back. No! Ianto was safe. The Master had fallen. He_ knew_ that. But his mind still _remembered_. And his heart still _felt_. And there was nothing that could be done about that. He walked quickly out of his office, leaving the empty coffee mug staring forlornly at his back, and went to find the Doctor.

Jack pushed open the TARDIS door and stepped through, shuddering slightly at the pulsing red glow. Closing the door behind him, he noticed the air inside was actually a lot colder than the Hub.

"Doctor?"

There was no answer. Not that Jack had really expected one to begin with. The telltale sign of the Doctor's coat thrown over a chair - wasn't the Timelord _cold?_ – showed Jack he was around, somewhere. The top of the Doctor's head, just visible over the control console showed Jack where. The Doctor had patched it up as best he could and to be honest, the console looked fairly normal. _Looking_ normal and _being_ normal however…were two separate things. And it didn't apply exclusively to the Tardis.

Jack walked around the room to the Doctor. He was sitting on the floor, back against the console, knees drawn in towards him, face in his hands. His breathing was shallow and ragged. Jack watched him quietly for a moment, and then sat down besides the Doctor, pulling him in to rest against Jack's shoulder. They sat in silence, lost in thought.

"He was everything to me. I was so ready to give it all up, just to have him again. He wasn't bad. No, not really. It was never really about universal domination with him, it was me. Always me. An audience to watch on. An obsession. A way to prove he was stronger, that he could hold dominance over everything, over me."

Jack's eyebrows rose. The Doctor never noticed.

"The drums. It was always them too. I almost feel responsible for them, the drums…" He lapsed into silence again.

"I thought he was back. I thought, for once, I'd get a happy ending. That maybe…I wasn't alone again. Well, that's me. Doomed to loneliness I am." He stood abruptly with a shake of his head. "Enough of that now."

Jack stood with him and then noticed – "Hey! You've got Tosh's …book scanner…thing in here. She was looking for that all afternoon."

The Doctor almost looked sheepish. "Well…" he drawled, before his voice picked up speed. "I only borrowed it! Thought it looked interesting. Haven't seen one this side of the 32nd century before! I rewired the Tardis translation circuit with that, I did. Not that I need it really, fluent in _billions_ of languages I am. Never really got the hang of reading Welsh though. And I thought it might help out you lot to be able to understand what you're dealing with. And then, I thought, you know what, while I'm at it, why not give it an upgrade at the same time? It does locks too now. Unscrambles bits of code. No egg though. Can't unscramble that. Yet. Do you need egg unscrambled?"

Jack gaped at him for a few seconds, taking in the complete change. It seemed a bit of tinkering was good for the Doctor.

"Doctor, why would you unscramble an egg?"

"Oh, parlour trick that. All you have to do is-"

"And it did locks before you know."

The Doctor deflated a little. "Oh…well, I'm sure it does more locks now. It's got a more stable operating system too. Latest one actually. I still had the complimentary upgrade chip from the time I visited their factories back in-"

Jack smiled. Later, he would wonder if too many years spent on Earth had resulted in this 'just carry on' attitude when it came to crisis. He would wonder if, in years to come, he would be like the Doctor, able to switch so rapidly between moods. He would wonder if that was actually a good thing. But for the moment, he relaxed, the man who could never die, in the company of the last Timelord, in a time and space ship that was bigger on the inside, deep underground in the headquarters of a beyond-classified secret organisation designed to combat alien threats…and smiled at the normality of it all


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood, or Doctor Who. Did you honestly think I did?

**A/N:** It having been a whole of two weeks since the last update, I thought..I'd get it up tonight. As it is, I got caught up..but the chapter's here, all the same. From now on, it'll be a little more regular.

--

Sleep was never easy for Jack. Truth be told, since the whole immortality thing, he had never really _needed _it. It scared him sometimes, to close his eyes and see nothing. He could sleep…if he really had to. If he really wanted to. But it was too much like death. Eternal slumber. Just because he could endure both didn't mean he had to enjoy it.

Jack didn't like sleep, but he didn't mind rest. So the hours when humanity blinked out and slept, Jack simply rested. Revisited memories. Planned. Meditated. Sometimes he pulled on his coat and found himself on a roof hours later, looking out across the lights of Cardiff, or up at the stars and planets, and the deep vastness of space. In those moments, he would feel himself filled with hope, love, and somehow, absurdly, the need to _protect_ this little Level 5 planet, the very thought weaving through his mind and calming him.

Jack sighed. His mind was far from being calm and still. If each thought was a thread waiting to be woven, then Jack's usually tidy mind was now a tangled knot of wool. And though he had all the time in the world, and then some, Jack had none to spare to untangle the mess. He had to meditate and get his mental filing done before his mind could calm down. But to do so, he needed a calm mind to begin with.

It was, he mused, an interesting conundrum. He saw no solution. All he could think of…one statement repeating insistently in his head…_Ianto's good at filing_. He pushed himself up off his bed and shook his head a few times. No matter how skilled Ianto was with paperwork, Jack couldn't see how Ianto was the solution to his problem. It was something he'd have to work through alone. And there was nothing he could do for now. His internal clock told him it was time to start the day.

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS just as Jack re-entered the Hub with a box of pastries. No coffee – once you had tasted Ianto's, there was truly no going back. The Doctor rubbed his eyes a little wearily. Despite Jack's offer that the Doctor take Jack's bed, and Jack take the couch, and all the other variations Jack had thought up to keep the Doctor in what he hoped was a healthier environment, the Doctor had spent the night in the TARDIS. It hadn't been an easy night's sleep for him either. While he was physically refreshed, the Doctor felt mentally strained. And that really, had the greater impact on the Timelord.

"Morning Doctor! I thought we could do with some breakfast. There's nothing but meat in the fridge for some reason so I thought I'd get some pastries." He held up the box with a triumphant grin. "Fresh. Hot. Straight out of the oven. And from the best bakery in Cardiff."

The Doctor's face lit up, the perfect image of a child on Christmas morning rubbing away the doubts of a sleepless night as they saw that yes, Father Christmas was real, and yes, they had presents, and yes, it would be alright really, because they were loved.

"I'll get us some tea then shall I?"

Jack smiled and watched as the Doctor wandered into the little kitchen and eyed the appliances with the air of a mad scientist.

"Just don't touch the coffee machine. If you tamper with it, Ianto will kill me!"

The Doctor chuckled.

"Why am I going to kill you, sir?"

Jack spun, coming face to face with Ianto. His smile broadened.

"Ah! Ianto! Just in time. Have you had breakfast yet? I bought some pastries. Thought we could share."

"Didn't you get them for the Doctor, Jack?"

"Huh? Oh. Well. I thought the three of us could…" Jack's voice trailed off. "Ianto, are you _jealous_?"

Ianto blinked and then looked up at Jack with a courteous smile. "No, it just seemed as if you were having only the Doctor for breakfast. And then invited me at last minute."

Jack cringed inwardly. What had brought _that_ smile to Ianto's face? It was the forced smile, the one Jack had come to know especially well in the days after Lisa, and the one Jack associated with Ianto masking over some inner hurt. But if he said anything directly, Ianto would never respond.

"Course not." He said cheerily, opening the box to show Ianto the contents. "Enough for three. And your favourites. I would have called, but your phone was turned off. So I took a chance and timed getting breakfast with the time you usually get here. So that they'd still be hot, you know?"

His wild grin eased into a more natural smile. His eyes glowed with soft sincerity. And when the words left his mouth, there was force behind the words, and a slight uncertainty, as if he were afraid Ianto would reject them. "I'm here for you. You know that right, Ianto? I'm not going to vanish anytime soon."

For some reason, Ianto was shivering, his arms crossed over his chest, hands clutching his sides. He wouldn't meet Jack's eyes.

Realising he would receive no reply, Jack launched back into the relative safety of his playful mindset.

"So, you want to eat? Oh, and for future reference, you're always invited to breakfast with me. I'd love to have you."

Ianto offered a weak laugh. He recognised this game. It was a cover. He was grateful for it, for Jack throwing it out there. It was another protective layer Ianto could add to his defences. A way of pretending. And now Jack had invited him to hide, instead of exposing his heart. The least he could do was play along.

"What's this, sir? I offer you dinner and you offer me breakfast instead?"

Jack grinned, a weight lifting from his heart. If Ianto was willing to play along, then surely things would be alright?

"As well as, not instead of."

Ianto smiled at the suggestion. "I'll go make coffee then, shall I?"

--

They sat around the conference table, eating. Jack and Ianto had coffee in front of them. The Doctor, tea. He said it was better for him, and they shouldn't let good tea go to waste anyway. At first, there was an awkward silence which stretched….They were all far too absorbed in their own thoughts to initiate conversation. And yet, the silence affected them. Ianto wondered whether they were silent because now, they could _choose_ to be silent, and they were actually glad for the company, just unable to vocalise it. He wondered if there was a language more subtle than words, employed right then, across the table which could explain the lack of sound. He wondered if it was a game. He wondered if he was a third wheel.

It was Jack who cracked first and broke through the silence.

"So Doctor…I was thinking, maybe we should call Martha down? Her CV's outstanding, as far as Torchwood is concerned. Well travelled, good negotiation skills, saved the world…" He ticked them off on his fingers.

"You'll have to move quicker next time Jack. She's got a job with UNIT. Medical specialist or something."

Jack frowned. "That can't be right. She's not a qualified doctor yet."

"UNIT policy states that exceptions can be made if the potential employee is recommended by what they call an 'impeccable source' and if they have the right credentials. That is, known dealings with alien lifeform. For those in training or still studying they-" Ianto stopped as he found both Jack and the Doctor staring at him.

"How do you know that?" The Doctor ventured.

Jack gave a short laugh. "He's Ianto. Ianto knows everything."

Ianto shrugged, dipping his head in acknowledgement. "I try my best, sir."

Jack stood. "Well, anyway-" He stopped abruptly as his vortex manipulator beeped.

"Whoah, that never beeps." Ianto looked at it, surprised.

Jack was frowning. "That's what I was thinking." He looked at Ianto and the Doctor, a worried expression on his face. He pressed a button on the vortex manipulator to project a blue hologram. From the look on his face, it was instant recognition. Jack watched it, too stunned for words.

"I can't believe I got the answering machine. What can you be doing that's more important than me? Anyway…drinks. You know how to find me. And hurry up, work to do. _Help me Obi-wan Kenobi! You're my only hope!_"

And with that, the projection faded.

Jack looked at Ianto and the Doctor, his eyes fuming. "Stay here. _Don't_ come after me!" The words were barked out furiously as he strode towards the door and disappeared.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who. Did you really think I did?**

--

Ianto and the Doctor were left in their seats, staring at the doorway through which Jack had just left, still trying to process the events of a few seconds ago. Naturally, the Doctor was the first to finish. He turned to look at Ianto and stood.

"Come on, quickly now, or we'll lose him!"

Ianto blinked. "He – he said not to go after him."

"Oh, where's the fun in that? Do you always do as you're told, Ianto Jones?"

"But…but he-"

_Why won't you go after him, Ianto? What are you afraid of? Are you giving up, just like that?_

Ianto cursed the little voice in his head.

"We don't know where he's going."

"Ah! I can help there." The Doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out his -"Sonic screwdriver! A thing like that wristband of Jack's gives off a signal like nothing else on Earth in this century. But considering we're in Torchwood…the signal might get confused. Like a compass with magnets, really. Very misleading. So if I double that with setting 10256…"

"There are two of them. Whoever Jack went to meet, he had one too. Setting 10256?"

The Doctor looked up. "You got all that? Really? Most people tend to sort of tune out. They say I babble. I say, well, you know what, maybe I do, but I've met worse. Like that one guy who called himself -" One look at Ianto's face was enough to stop the Doctor in his tracks. "Oh. Right. 10256. It finds past companions of mine. Travelling in time and space gives you a sort of...residual radiation. And – as far as I know, anyway – the only one in Cardiff is Jack. So, either way, we've got a nifty little tracking device."

Ianto stared at him. God, was that man ever unprepared?

The Doctor had been edging impatiently towards the door throughout his speech and was now waiting hopefully for Ianto to follow. Ianto sighed.

"Right then. If you're sure we can find him. You're not going without me."

The Doctor beamed.

They'd made it to the exit from the main hub before Ianto remembered. "Hold on, Jack took the SUV."

"No problem! I've got the answer to that too!" The Doctor grinned, taking a step towards the corner, which Ianto suddenly realised (not that he hadn't known earlier) was occupied by a police box.

He saw a look of confusion flitter across the Doctor's face, and then the man seemed to cave in on himself slightly.

"Oh…wait. No I don't."

In that moment, his look of sheer despair almost made Ianto feel sorry for him. Almost, mind. Ianto wasn't quite done with feeling sorry for himself yet.

"It doesn't matter. We still have that sports car from the blowfish. What is it with those blowfish and sports cars?"

The Doctor looked at him incredulously. "A blowfish driving a sports car? Now that I'd like to see!"

Ianto smiled. "Well, we'll get Jack first. Then I'll see if I can find the CCTV footage of one in archives for you."

He wondered briefly if he should call the team, but it was so early Owen would just grumble at him. And Ianto didn't want to disturb the girls. He shrugged. They'd call him when they got in and found the Hub empty.

Ianto picked up the keys – which had been sitting on Owen's desk under a pile of paperwork for _some_ reason – and they left the Hub together to find their troublesome Captain.

--

Jack stopped outside a hotel. Judging by the people who had been running screaming away from it (and thus causing him to abandon the SUV a few streets away), this was the place. He noticed the wide berth people were giving the hotel – the few people that were still lingering, anyway. He'd heard whispers of 'a madman with a gun' as he'd pushed his way through the crowd.

He made his way into the hotel, pausing momentarily in front of the receptionist's desk, wondering where to head first. It was a hotel…and John wasn't the sort of person to get a room. But hotels had restaurants, and hotels had bars. Ah. Of course. The bar.

Jack walked over to the double doors that lead to the bar, took a deep breath and flung them open. It was empty. Not even a barman in sight. Except…yep. Bar was a good choice. John emptied a shot of some blue liquid, turned and locked eyes with Jack.

They strode towards each other down the length of the bar, eyes blazing, adrenaline already pumping through their blood, breath already ragged from the intensity of the stare. When they met, there was a brief pause as a fiery rage burnt through the air between them.

Their lips crashed together, tongues clashing like swords as blistering rage translated itself as burning passion and lust-filled desire. Fireworks sparked as the throbbing heat rushed through their bodies. Even as they gasped for air, they tasted each other, each pressing violently into the other. Without warning, John pulled back and met Jack's snog with a whistling punch that knocked him a few steps backwards. Jack grinned, wiped the saliva at the edge of his mouth and returned the punch in kind which John dodged before pulling him in for another rough kiss. He then proceeded to knee Jack in the groin. Jack groaned, staggering. When he had regained his balance, he threw himself at John. The fight that ensued reminded Jack of the love that had once burned between them, the fierce, passionate encounters of two 51st century men stuck in a timeloop. It ended with two _very_ hot, slightly damp men, out of their time, with guns cocked and pointed at heads. Stalemate.

"Who are you now?"

"Captain Jack Harkness, note the stripes."

"Captain John Hart, note the sarcasm."

"Hey! I worked my way up through the ranks."

"I bet the ranks were very grateful."

After a moment of silence, John added "I need a drink."

"I thought you'd never ask."

Guns disappeared into holsters as the pair walked over to the counter. John dragged a bottle of some clear alcohol – he didn't bother to check what, and history was never his strong point anyway – towards him and threw another at Jack. Jack looked around blindly for glasses before remembering they'd managed to destroy them all. Not to mention the state the bar was in now. Oh well, he sighed. He was pretty sure he could pass the bill off as a Torchwood expense.

John didn't even bother looking for a glass. He'd chugged down the entire bottle and was wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve by the time Jack had finished thinking about Ianto, how he'd react to this 'Torchwood expense' after all the things he'd tried in the past. Not that Ianto would (or could) stop him of course. He'd just laugh at him when it came to filing away the records.

"It's good to see you. I'm not the same without you. But honestly, what _were_ you doing that was more important than me? First time I've _ever_ gotten your answering machine, you know?"

Jack was startled out of his reverie. "Hmm? Oh. Having breakfast with....with a few friends." He thought it'd be better to keep names out of this. Or at least, until he knew what John wanted from him. The Doctor was famous – or perhaps infamous – with Time Agents and Ianto…Jack almost shuddered at the thought of what John would do if he found out about his relationship with Ianto. Jealousy hit a new level with John Hart.

"Friends? Plural? Well. I suppose some things never change. Anything I should be jealous of?"

"What? No! The three of us were just having breakfast. Pastries and coffee."

Jack found himself momentarily distracted again when he realised there were voices outside, footsteps growing louder. Probably the hotel staff trying to work out what all the noise from the fight earlier was.

John looked at him, disbelievingly. "What, only a threesome? That doesn't sound like you. What happened to the raging orgies and the sex for breakfast? Lost your touch?" He smirked.

"21st Century, John. I've changed. And I want you off my territory."

John stared at him for a moment. "What?" He exclaimed incredulously, anger creeping into his voice, "I thought you couldn't get enough of me 'on your territory'."

He drew his gun before Jack could stop him and fired. The glass in the door shattered.

"Right, I know you're out there. Come out!" John shouted, gun still aimed at the door.

The door was pushed open, and two figures made their way in. Jack stared at them in disbelief, anger and fear rolling around in his head. He barely noticed John slipping his gun away again.

"Everything okay, Jack?" The Doctor called. Ianto trailed behind with his gun raised and his head tilted slightly to his side.

"Ooh!" John exclaimed, rubbing his hands together, "I take it this was 'breakfast' then? There _must_ be something you're not telling me, if you have these two chasing after you. Care to introduce me?"


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who. Did you really think I did?

-

"Hello." The Doctor smiled, leaning forward slightly, "I'm the Doctor."

John looked at Jack, eyebrows raised. "What did you _do_ to get him? Still, never thought you were the type to find old stars like him kinky."

Captain Jack almost growled at him. "We didn't-"

"Nothing to be ashamed of, I'm sure. Who's Eyecandy over there? Apart from gorgeous that is. Listen, if you're done with him – or maybe when you're playing with the Doctor, not all that fussed – can I have him? I'd love to take him for a spin."

Jack blinked. This time, he _did _growl. "He's not a car."

"Really?" John smirked, "Shame. I was so looking forward to a ride, too. Introduce me."

Ianto felt himself blushing. Jack on the other hand, was berating himself for walking into that one so blindly and sincerely hoping that John wouldn't see what Ianto meant to him. He wasn't sure he could deal with a jealous John as well as whatever con he was trying to pull them through.

Jack's voice took on an air of professionalism. "He's Ianto. Ianto Jones. Ianto, Doctor, this is-"

"Captain John Hart. And the pleasure's _all_ mine." John smirked again.

Jack watched him wearily and had to physically refrain from rolling his eyes. It was obvious that some things never really changed. Could John really be any more of an insufferable flirt? Did he _have_ to exhale innuendo wherever he went? A moment later, the irony of it all hit him. He bit back a smile, and then noticed Ianto watching him curiously.

"We go back." Jack said, by way of explanation. Ianto wasn't listening. A moment ago, he had seen a ghost of irritation and amusement flitter across Jack's face. Ianto was inherently curious. He wanted to know what his Captain had been thinking about!

"_Excuse_ me. We _more_ than 'go back'. We were partners."

That caught Ianto's attention. "In what way?" he asked cautiously.

John was smirking again. Was that jealousy he saw in those eyes?

"In every way." He intoned wickedly, drawing out the syllables. "Stuck in a bloody two-week time loop for five years. Only two people around were him, and me. Pheromones flying everywhere. Got a little rough. Still, not complaining. He was _good_. But I bet you already know that, right Eyecandy?"

Ianto flushed again. His mouth had dried up and didn't seem to be communicating effectively with his brain. An ex? Jack had run out on him _and _the Doctor for an _ex_? And one he hadn't seen for years – centuries? - at that. Maybe they shouldn't have gone after him after all. They were probably interrupting a reunion. A date.

"Time loop you say? Brilliant! I love time loops! Everything goes all timey-wimey. Still, they say it's not really all that good for your health. I had a friend once. Time-looping gave her indigestion, apparently. Never really found out if she was telling the truth or just covering for eating something I'd told her not to touch. What caused it, do you think? The time loop, not the indigestion I mean. You obviously got out of it, but what would you say were the defining-"

At a look from Jack and Ianto combined that told him no, it really wasn't the right time for this, the Doctor stopped, putting his (verbal) train of thought on hold. "Ah…sorry." A mixed look of concentration and delight appeared on his face, as if he had just remembered a wonderfully complex and fulfilling puzzle that he'd saved for later. Jack wouldn't have been all that surprised if he had. Ianto felt much the same, but noticed the Doctor's alertness hadn't even dropped a notch. It was as if he could focus on two completely different things at once and give each his full and undivided attention. Which was absurd, just thinking about it. Ianto wondered for a moment if, along with the two hearts he knew the Timelord had, there were two brains to go with it. He shook the idea off as absurd imagination and returned to the situation at hand in time to hear Jack ask:

"Why are you here? What do you want?"

John sighed. "It's always business with you, isn't it? Don't I get a hello? How are you? How's the Time Agency?"

"Time Agency? What's that?" Ianto frowned.

John looked at Ianto as he processed the question. A wicked grin spread on his face. Quite the Cheshire Cat, Ianto thought briefly. He then wondered why his brain had developed a tendency to skip down tangents in the past ten minutes.

"You mean he hasn't told you about the Time Agency? His past? I wonder why..."

Ianto didn't like the sound of John's voice. Well, more precisely, the hint that John knew something about Jack that Ianto didn't. Jack was allowed his secrets, Ianto respected that. But he couldn't help feeling _slightly_ undermined by John knowing something he didn't. Even _if_ Jack wasn't Ianto's anymore. Even if Jack didn't want him, Ianto loved the man, _needed_ him in a way that he'd never contemplated before. And he would do anything for Jack's sake. _Anything._

"Do you know what that is then?" John gestured to Jack's wrist.

'Vortex manipulator." Why did Ianto feel like a defeated schoolchild answering a far too obvious question? His arm dropped to his side, gun pointed to the floor. Something made him look at John's wrist. "You've got one too. Is it the same as Jack's?"

"It's a little smaller." Jack quipped.

"But lasts _much_ longer."

Jack smirked.

"Get two Time Agents in the same room together and it's always about the size of the wrist-strap." He pressed a few buttons, projecting a hologram of a roughly cylindrical object into the space before them.

"I'm working with this woman. Beautiful. Clever, sexy, yada yada yada. And we both get shot. And as she's dying, she begs me. She tells me of these radiation cluster bombs she's being working on."

Was Ianto beginning to feel _compassion_ for the man? And why couldn't he get Lisa out of his mind? He wasn't even aware his mouth had dropped open slightly, or the way his eyes had somehow _softened_. Oblivious to Ianto's reaction, Jack was watching John warily - as if checking for signs the man was lying. Or perhaps, since lying was really second nature to a con-man, checking for signs that John Hart was telling the truth. He hadn't even taken his eyes away from the man to look at the hologram. The Doctor meanwhile, had pulled out his 'brainy specs' and was peering at the hologram with unveiled interest.

"Three canisters, contents beyond toxic, lost in a Rift Storm. Ended up here. That's the downside of your city being built on a rift in space and time. Now, left to their own devices, the radiation will break down the canisters and then infect your people. And planet. They need to be neutralised."

Jack's face now bore a look of intense disbelief. "Huh. What do _you_ get out of this?"

John shrugged, looking up from the floor. "A dying woman's last wish? Last act of love for a lover?"

Something didn't sit right about that story. It was not in John's personality. It didn't suit him at all! But then…it had been awhile. And there _was_ a possibility John had changed for the better. There _was_ a chance he wasn't the same violent, self-centred greedy bastard Jack had known back in the day. He should at least be given a chance to redeem himself, to earn Jack's trust again. Or at least, that was the side of the argument Jack's brain had taken. Deep down, he _needed_ John to have changed, needed it to prove that you could fight and win against the 'dark side'. But who was he proving it to?

Jack nodded for him to continue, eyebrows raised. He would just have to trust John - for now - and hope he didn't get anyone killed who couldn't come back. Not that _he_ felt like dying either.

"Only problem is, I don't know where they are. Hoping…local knowledge might help?"

"We can run a city wide scan for radiation surges and cross-reference that with the rift activity during that time span." Ianto offered.

John eyed Ianto up and down. "Wow. Gorgeous _and_ smart. You're looking better all the time, Eyecandy."

Jack walked up to John, not stopping until there were bare inches between their faces.

"We do this, you get out of here, right away."

"Does this mean I don't get to see your house?" John asked, leaning in closer just as Jack moved away.

"Ianto, call the team. I want to find those radiation cluster bombs quickly."

Ianto holstered his gun and pulled out his mobile, reasoning (correctly) that none of the team would be at work and on comms yet. He hadn't even dialled a number when:

"Just one problem Jack," The Doctor straightened up, snapping his glasses off his face and almost twirling them with a finger. "They're not radiation cluster bombs."


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who, and I know you didn't think I did.

--

The Doctor's words had an instant effect on the room. Ianto's head whipped up and he had his gun out in a matter of seconds, mobile still clutched in one hand. Jack's attention snapped to the Doctor, the hologram, and then finally to John. His expression…mixed disappointment and anger? Bewildered too.

John's reaction however, came quicker than either of them. As the Doctor mentioned a problem, John's hand sneaked towards his gun. As the Doctor called his bluff, John's gun was out of its holster. And as Jack turned to look at the Doctor, John had raised his gun and shot him through the heart. The shot rang loud and clear through the bar. The Doctor and Ianto both bore shocked expression. Shocked expressions that turned into disgust (of weapons) and pity (for Jack) on the Doctor's face (who wouldn't look down because he'd seen enough of death – especially _Jack_ dying), and sheer rage and a touch of fear on Ianto's as he looked down at Jack and then up at John. John watched Jack crumple to the floor, making sure he was dead before looking up to deal with Ianto and the Doctor.

And for the second time that night, it was the mistake of not paying attention to a man with a gun that heard another gunshot go off in the bar.

John clutched his shoulder and swore (the Doctor looked indignant about this, and mumbled something about telling 'her' not to translate vulgar things when he got back). He stumbled backwards and, as pain washed over him, dropped his gun. John didn't like pain. In fact, it was fair to say he _despised_ pain. Given a choice between betraying his own father and being in pain, he wouldn't even think twice. He had never liked him anyway, the bastard.

This time, the Doctor was the first to react to the gunshot. He started forwards, grabbed John's arms and twisted them behind his back. It was the cool metal of the handcuffs clipping around his wrists that brought John back to reality from seeing red with pain.

"Handcuffs." He commented dryly, "You mean I was right about breakfast? Why _do_ you have handcuffs?"

The Doctor paused for a moment, lost in thought. "Spoilers."

Ianto was dialling Gwen's number.

"Gwen? Where are you?"

"Outside the Tourist Office. Listen, I'm sorry I'm later. Traffic was _awful_ for some reason. I swear it was a riot on the streets! I'll be inside in a moment. What's the problem Ianto?"

"Are Owen and Tosh with you? You need to get here _now-_"

"Just wait a sec, love. Damn it! I've forgotten my keys! Can you come out and let me in?"

"I'm not in the Hub Gwen, listen-"

"Oh, wait. Here's Owen now. Forget it; he's got his keys with him."

Ianto sighed, making the Doctor look at him curiously. John looked like he was about to vomit. Why did Ianto get the feeling Gwen wasn't listening to him? Well, at least he knew she and Owen were in the Hub, so maybe he should hang up and then she'd call back when she realised something was wrong. Preoccupied as he was with Gwen, Ianto only noticed something had gone wrong when he heard the explosion.

"Gwen, get in the hub, and get on comms. I've got to go." He hung up on her without waiting for a reply.

The Doctor straightened up and glared at John. "What did you do that for?" Whatever it was that John had spat at him had missed the Doctor only because he had ducked quickly. In fact, the small pellet had hit the fish tank behind the Doctor and scattered the glass into Atmos. The Doctor counted himself lucky. If it had hit him…well, he wasn't sure if he would have had enough time to regenerate. And he wasn't willing to find out, either. Years of running and dodging had honed the Timelord's reflexes well. Except…he was soaking wet now.

"Doctor, are you alright?"

"Very wet, but no physical damage. It looks like it just took the glass. Hence the wet. Although I daresay the fish are doing worse." He scooped up the fish in his hands and gently released them into a metal bowl - which had survived the earlier fight - filled with water from the fish tank.

John shrugged. Well, it had been worth a try. It wasn't as if he had really expected it to work anyway. It was a diversion design to give him enough time and distraction to work his hands around and reach for his lock-picking device. Once he had that, and had gotten rid of these pesky old-fashioned handcuffs (really, he couldn't use any of the cracks he knew on something that was just metal!), he'd be free to reach his weapons… He had almost touched the device when the Doctor slapped his hands away and take the little square lock-picker away from him. Damn it!

"Just because you _think _I'm not paying attention, it doesn't mean that I'm not paying attention. Try anything funny and I'll send you into the void. Or I'll make sure you get stranded on Gravnor Two with a blue pass. Don't think I won't." The Doctor's voice had a strange tone of menace to it. They _were_ empty threats. But he was sure a time agent – even an _ex-_time agent – wouldn't notice.

John stopped then. He knew he'd been outplayed –this time, at least. He wasn't giving this Timelord any reason to have him killed _or_ tortured. The Doctor thought for a moment and then removed John's wrist-strap and pocketed it. It really was quite a dangerous piece of equipment.

Seeing how narrowly they had avoided _another_ disaster, Ianto realised he would have to search John for weapons, and get rid of anything he could use against them. Before he could move however, his mobile rang. It was Tosh. He answered quickly.

"Ianto! Nobody was here when I arrived so I realised you must have gone out. I checked the rift activity when I got here. It's been active. And there are three signals of alien tech around Cardiff. They're all giving off a bit of a pulse. It looks like radiation – enough so it's picking up when I do a radiation scan – but I think it's more like a tracking system or data transmission. Might be harmless, but since you're already out, maybe you should pick them up on the way?"

Sometimes, Tosh's brilliance startled Ianto.

"Actually, we're about to head in. We'll have to deal with the canisters later. For now, could you find a secure cell? Preferably opposite a big scary alien." – well, why not? – "And when Owen and Gwen get in, warn them to be prepared. We're bringing in a hostile-" He looked at John. "-creature."

"What? I kill your boyfriend and suddenly I'm not human anymore?" John looked drunk. John _felt_ drunk. He had never really liked captivity. Or being handcuffed. He was usually the one handcuffing others.

Ianto ignored him. "Okay, thanks Tosh. See you when we get in."

He walked towards John and removed John's snakeskin sword, laying it on the counter-top. He then proceeded to search John, his nimble fingers quickly finding – and removing – any weapons he came across. Guns, knives, anything that looked _remotely_ like a weapon went onto the counter. Every time Ianto found something he was unsure of, he held it up for the Doctor to see before he either replaced it or added it to the growing pile of weaponry.

"Ooh, Eyecandy. If you wanted me, you only had to ask." John smirked as he felt Ianto's hands on his body. "A little lower please."

Ianto didn't bother replying. He was too busy wondering why Jack hadn't revived yet. The reason - though he was not to know it -was that Jack was still recovering from multiple deaths. A lot of energy was used to bring Captain Jack back to life, and the loss of so much at once…well, it was like what had happened after Abaddon. He needed more time. Ianto stepped a little closer to John, double checking that he had removed all of John's weapons.

Later, when they looked back on the night, they realised three mistakes, three quite simple things really, had given John the opportunity to kill. The first, was not paying attention to a man with a gun, and led to Jack's death. The second, was Ianto being on the phone to Gwen, and nearly forced a regeneration (or more) from the Doctor.

The third was letting John Hart get within kissing distance.

Ianto was nothing short of surprised when John Hart pushed himself forward and locked lips with him. Somehow, the counter of the bar had gotten behind him. Ianto was now pinned between it and John. He had a moment to register that kissing John was a little like kissing Jack. He could smell the pheromones pouring off the man. The same, and yet so very different. The sound had rushed out of his ears. John was quite a good kisser really. Ianto almost forgot himself. His hearing had dimmed. Somewhere in the background, a gasp as Jack came back to life. Somewhere else, a mumbled protest against the kiss. Somewhere else, a man hurtling towards them and ripping them apart.

No! He wanted to keep kissing Jack. He struggled. Oh. It was John. Not Jack. Jack was holding him now. He looked furious. Ianto blinked up at him. And oh, he was going all fuzzy. Where had he learned to do that? He looked really, really mad. The last thought Ianto Jones had was _'But it was just a kiss…'_

Jack _was_ furious. Upon coming back to life, his first sight had been a handcuffed John thoroughly _snogging_ Ianto. _His_ Ianto. His first reaction was amusement. John in handcuffs? Ianto kissing another man? Wow. His second reaction was jealousy. He wanted to rip them apart and scream. His third reaction was fear. Poison lip balm. He had scrambled to his feet and rushed to Ianto, tearing him away from John.

John's eyes widened as he saw Jack. He took a step backwards.

"You were dead."

"Yeah." Jack almost barked the reply out, "I can't die."

"Well, he can. He just can't _stay_ dead."

John swore.

Jack looked down at Ianto, who was blinking blearily up at him. His body was going limp. Jack grabbed his sleeve and wiped at Ianto's mouth.

"Stay with me Ianto, come on!"

"It won't work. There was tongue in that kiss. Face it. He's as good as dead."

Jack drew his gun; an impressive feat considering he was now supporting Ianto's full weight on one arm.

"How long does he have?"

"It's really no use."

"_How long does he have?_ And if you don't fucking answer me-"

"Okay! Okay! The maximum's about half an hour."

"And the minimum?" the Doctor asked quietly.

"Ten minutes. Actually, good point. Why didn't _you_ die before? There isn't a cure on Earth that will save him. But if you let me go, I'll get it for you. Of course, I'll have a few extra demands for the trouble…"

"You walk back into my life with a con, kill me, poison Ianto and you expect me to _help_ you?!"

"I'm his only chance. Only I know what the antidote is."

"No. No, there has to be another way. There _has_ to be!"

The Doctor ran over, waving his sonic screwdriver at Ianto's lips. "If I could just get a reading on this…" He flicked through the settings madly, gave up and then started pulling things out of his pocket in the hope that there was something that could help. Anything. He didn't want to lose Ianto either. He hadn't even finished getting to know the man!

"Owen!" Jack shouted into his earpiece.

"Ouch! Jack, what is it?"

"I need you to get here, quickly. Ianto's been poisoned."

"Shit. Jack, hate to break it to you mate, but there's no way we can get out fast enough. There's some sort of riot on the streets. Most roads are sealed off. And we don't have the SUV. We don't have a car at all, in fact. And it's not like we can take the sub."

Jack couldn't take it anymore. He sank to the floor, collapsing under Ianto's dead weight. His face was wet with tears. The Doctor watched him, reminded of another death not so long ago, on the Valiant. His eyes said everything. Sorrow, pain, anguish. Frustration. But Jack was oblivious to it all. He cradled Ianto's limp body, completely losing any sense of reason he had retained before. All he could think of was Ianto, slipping slowly into the dark embrace of death, into the void forever. And he hadn't even had the chance to mend the gulf between them. He had never even told him…

"Oh, Ianto please…Please stay with me! You still owe me a date! Don't die on me now! I-I love you! I'm so sorry!"


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Doctor who or Torchwood etc etc.

**A/N:** I'm terribly sorry about leaving this so long without an update...And hey, don't worry. If there was going to be a character death...I'd warn you. :P And I really don't know what I'm going to do..because this is part 9 here, part 8 on LJ...and it's _actually_ the start of chapter 6... *sigh* It's very messed up, isn't it?

-

Jack was a mess. He couldn't lose Ianto, he just _couldn't._ He didn't even care if he had to cause a paradox to save him. Half-formed plans skittered through Jack's mind. He was suddenly envious of Romeo, able to follow his lover into death through poison. And then the rational side of him – which always sounded like Ianto now – laughed.

_You're being an idiot. Stop it, and think clearly! You've got an ex-Time Agent, the Doctor and all the weight of Torchwood behind you. You need to find an unknown cure in less than thirty minutes. What's the first step?_

"Find out what the antidote is. So we need to get to the Hub. Or..." Jack's head whipped up.

"John. Tell me what the antidote is."

"Are you agreeing to my conditions then?"

"As I see it, you're in no position to argue. Either you help, and you get to live, or you don't and you die."

The Doctor was keeping one eye on their conversation as he rummaged around for something useful. He was mildly concerned, but that was forgotten when his fingers brushed against something he had placed in his pocket earlier…

"Jack!" He cried, drawing out John's wrist-strap triumphantly and then rushing to his side.

Jack just blinked at him.

"Now, you wanted to get to the Hub, right? Well, I disabled your teleport, but I can fix that -" He pulled out his sonic screwdriver with his other hand and pointed it at Jack's wrist-strap for a few seconds. "- so now you can get to the Hub. The TARDIS might even be able to help with a diagnosis. No promises there. Who knows? I might have the antidote tucked away in storage somewhere. And we've got two of these, so we can both go."

Jack could have kissed the Doctor. But the rational Ianto part of him - which was taking control now and giving him a sudden burst of energy- thought that would be a bad idea. So he didn't.

"No. Wait. I'm not leaving him" –he gestured towards John- "with you alone. Don't want you to lose another regeneration. You take Ianto. Get a head start on the diagnosis. I'll follow with _him_."

"I _have_ a name, you know?"

Jack ignored him. He undid his wrist-strap. "Take mine. I don't even want to think about the potential traps he has built into his."

The Timelord nodded, bent and scooped Ianto out of Jack's arms. As Jack stood, he couldn't help but notice the fact that the Doctor, skinny though he was, was actually quite strong. They swapped wrist-straps and the Doctor typed in the co-ordinates of the Hub.

"I'll take care of him." And then they were gone.

"You know me too well." John muttered as Jack walked over to him. There _was_ a trap set into his wrist-strap. A precaution, he liked to think. If someone tried to use it to go somewhere without John…well, it wasn't pretty, anyway.

He watched as Jack pulled the garbage bag out of the nearby bin and swept the pile of weapons off the counter and into the bag with the rest of the rubbish that had accumulated there in the early morning.

"Hey! Be careful with that stuff!"

Jack just glared at him.

"Oh, I get it. Still angry. Look, if I knew he meant that much to you-"

"You would have done exactly the same thing. Worse, maybe. In future – if you _get_ a future – try asking. Believe it or not, honesty gets you a lot further than trickery ever will."

"Well…you've changed."

Jack laughed bitterly. "You finally noticed?"

He tied a knot in the garbage bag, set the coordinates and took hold of John's arm.

"You try anything funny, you so much as _scratch_ a member of my team, and I won't just kill you. I'll torture you within an inch of your life."

"Okay! I get it already!"

Jack looked at him for a moment before he pressed a button on the wrist-strap and they teleported to the Hub.

The Hub was awash with activity when they arrived, but as much as his heart yearned to check on Ianto, Jack steeled himself to take John down to the cells first. He dropped the bag of equipment by Tosh's workstation as they passed it, picking up a post-it note that gave him a floor and cell number. He smiled. Sometimes, Tosh's brilliance startled him.

John ended up in a holding cell opposite a Hoix, and sandwiched between two Weevils.

"You're leaving me here? Alone?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Our technical genius Toshiko Sato would like to draw your attention to the CCTV which has been recording – and streaming – to the main Hub upstairs. We can also _hear_ anything that goes on. Also, if you happen to be able to open this door, all the other cell doors will open too. But that one" – he nodded towards the exit -"will go into lockdown. So unless you want the experience the intimate company of two Weevils and a Hoix…"

"I get it. Stay put. Be a good boy. You're not even going to take these handcuffs off. This is really just revenge for my comments about breakfast, isn't it?"

Jack closed the door and leant against the glass. "If you feel like helping, give us a shout. Because don't forget, we'll be watching you."

"I'll make sure to put on a good show then, won't I?" John smirked.

Jack rolled his eyes and made his way back upstairs.

--

When Owen and Gwen stepped through the cog door and into the Hub, they were met by an obviously worried Tosh.

"Tosh? What's wrong?" Gwen asked. She suddenly remembered her earlier conversation with Ianto. "Oh god, what's wrong Tosh?"

"Ianto just called. He said to be prepared – armed. They're bringing in a hostile alien."

"Right." Said Gwen, fully professional now, "Let's get to it then."

"Uh…have you forgotten about the riot outside? How exactly are they getting here?" Owen was frowning as he spoke. Gwen and Toshiko just shrugged. "Great. Waiting for an undefined amount of time, early in the morning, and no coffee."

"I could make some if you want." Tosh smiled hesitantly.

"Thanks Tosh, but no. I'll survive. No offence, but your coffee's got nothing on Teaboy's."

Gwen smiled. "Whatever would we do without him?"

They got to work. Within minutes, they were ready for whatever alien Jack and Ianto were bringing in. And bored. Tosh was working on one of her side projects, fingers tapping away at her keyboard. Gwen was meandering her way through the internet looking for alien artefacts that they might need to confiscate. Owen found himself flicking through CCTV footage and wondering briefly why the keys to the sports car had vanished from his desk.

And then Owen's eardrum was nearly shot to pieces. "Ouch! Jack, what is it?" Gwen and Tosh listened in quietly, confused. Jack had only contacted Owen, not the whole team. Which really wasn't a good sign. Better for their eardrums though, maybe.

"Owen?" Gwen ventured.

"Ianto. He's been poisoned. They can't get here, and we can't get to them."

Gwen's eyes grew larger with alarm. "Then what do we do?"

"Nothing. There's nothing we _can_ do."

The three of them descended into silence. Even the _thought_ of losing a team member hit a little too close to home.

"You know," Owen muttered, "We should find or invent a teleport or something. I bet you could do it Tosh."

Toshiko blushed slightly.

"It'd save us a lot of time, wouldn't it?" Gwen mused, "No more being late. No more not being able to get to places in time. No more clean up of bodies because we couldn't get there in time."

"No more of Jack's driving." Tosh added with a slightly sad smile.

Owen nodded. "That's what we need. A teleport."

Imagine their surprise when the Doctor arrived (teleported) with Ianto in his arms not long after.

"Right. We need to get Ianto down to the medical bay immediately." Owen said, after he got over his surprise. Oh, alright, and amusement. _A fucking teleport!_

"The TARDIS could do it much quicker. We should do this there."

"Look Doctor. To be blunt, I don't know who you are. You turn up, out of the blue, and we don't even know your name. And you've made it perfectly clear that your ship, whatever it is, isn't working. Which is why you're here in the first place, isn't it?"

"Yes, but that has nothing to do with her ability to-"

"I don't trust it."

His words were met with silence, but Owen continued anyway. "I don't trust it at all, and you know, I don't think you do either, do you? You and Jack both. You avoid it like it's about to…" He struggled for a comparison and settled on something so obtuse it couldn't possibly be true, "take over the world and go on a killing-spree."

The Doctor was silent. Lost for words.

Gwen decided enough was enough. "Stop arguing. Ianto comes first. Or do you want Jack to find out Ianto _died_ because of you two? Owen. Get him to the medical bay, now."

Owen took Ianto from the Doctor – somewhat surprised that the Doctor let him – and made his way down the stairs. Gwen trailed after him.

Tosh placed a hand on the Doctor's arm. There was something about the Doctor that she immediately connected with. And she could see, in his eyes, the same look Tommy had when they met every year, the look of a soldier who had been through wars, seen too much, done too much, lost too much.

"Maybe we could take a sample to the Tardis too? Approach the problem from two different angles?" she said softly.

The Doctor smiled. "Ah, Toshiko Sato. What a brilliant mind you have. Alright, come on. You get the sample, I'll get the Tardis ready. Maybe we'll even find the medical room I lost a few years back!"

He hurried off to the blue box in the corner. Tosh smiled and went to get a few blood samples off Owen. On her way back to join the Doctor, she passed by her workstation and noticed something slightly out of place.

Draped over her keyboard was a single sheet of paper. Tosh was a neat sort of person. Especially when it came to technology. Which meant that somebody else had left the paper for her when she'd gone to the medical bay. Which meant it wasn't from any of the team, or the Doctor. She knew who it was from though.

Over the years, Tosh had cultivated an intimate relationship with the Hub's computer. After initial shock that it was organic, living, and to some extent, sentient, Tosh had found the computer to be the best friend she had ever had. And being such close friends, it was always willing to help Tosh out.

She picked up the sheet of paper, glanced at it curiously and decided to ask the Doctor if he knew what it was.

"Doctor?" She asked, walking into the TARDIS.

The Doctor looked up from the faintly red console, mildly surprised that she hadn't commented about it being 'bigger on the inside'. He got that so often. Honestly, was it that hard a concept?

"Ah. Ms. Sato. Got the samples? Yes? Good. And oh, what's that you have there?"

Tosh handed him the paper. "It's a printout. Um…the computer gave it to me." She hoped the Doctor would know what she meant.

He studied the paper with interest and then looked up at her with a suddenly boyish look of excitement.

"This is amazing!"

"What is it?"

"It's a map! Not a _complete_ map, that's too hard, but a basic one. Oh, old girl, you cheeky little thing. Were you talking to the Torchwood computer? What have I said about talking to strange computers eh? Oh well, never mind. It's beautiful, thankyou."

Tosh smiled. Evidently, the Doctor had the same habit of talking to sentient technology.

"Come on Ms Sato, I know where that medical room is now! And remind me to thank that computer later. What did you say it was called?"

Toshiko blushed as she followed the Doctor down a corridor. "Erm…I call it HAL." She murmured.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Torchwood or Doctor Who. You know that.

**A/N:** Um..I'm sorry this has taking...two weeks? Three? I got stuck about halfway through and had to force it to write properly. The next update will probably be sooner, now that I'm over that bit.

The Doctor grinned and glanced back over his shoulder at Tosh. "HAL? Really? You know, if you take each of those letters and increment them by one letter, you get 'IBM'. They claimed it was unintentional, at the time, but I think Stanley Kubrick took a few ideas from that little trip I gave him. Mind you, I accidentally took him to the year 20001 and to the colony-planet Jupiter – not your Jupiter, the one in the Monwalk system – and admittedly, 'IBM' stood for 'Identical Blue Mice'…but still – Ah! Here we are!"

He stopped in front of a white door to his right. A circular pattern was marked into the door – the Doctor's native language, Tosh assumed. It looked too precise to be decoration.

Taking into account the slow, mysterious, almost apprehensive way the Doctor opened the door, Tosh rather expected something grand. Or at least, terribly modern and alien.

The Doctor walked into the white, seemingly empty room. "Ah!" He exclaimed happily, "It's just how I remember it!"

Tosh followed him into the room, slightly puzzled. "Ah…Doctor?"

"Oh! Ms Sato, of course. You've never worked with anything like this, have you? It's a little like a Zero room. Calming, restful, removed from influences of the universe. But this room is a little different too. It places more emphasis on what you _think_ and what you _know_ than what you see. For instance, I _know_ there was a table here last time."

Tosh blinked, and suddenly, she knew there was a table there too. She could see it now. How had she missed that?

The Doctor grinned. "And, since we don't have much time to spare – odd words for a Timelord, really – I _know_ how this place is actually meant to be. I _know_ it's fully kitted out to be a medical room to comply with the old Gallifreyan High Council's standards."

And although Tosh didn't quite understand what he meant, she knew it now too. And the room now fulfilled all her expectations of grand, modern and alien.

The room was still white, the paleness broken only by little freckles of colour where buttons, labels, displays, handles, levers and one potted plant in the corner. Two of the four walls were lined with white machines or benches with some strange, and some recognisable forms of equipment on top and various monitors scattered across the space. The third wall had shelves, cupboards, drawers, continuing as far up as the eye could see. That was an interesting point too. Tosh couldn't tell if there _was_ a ceiling. The space seemed to extend forever. She supposed that wasn't all that impossible for a ship that was already bigger on the inside.

The fourth wall, the one behind her with the door to one side, was the only wall left blank. But something in the way it shifted slightly under her vision told her that even that was probably an illusion. She felt it was some sort of display, like a screen with a projector, but more organic in nature. And then there was the table in front of her. On closer examination, it was something of a wood and metal hybrid, inanimate, and yet buzzing with energy. The entire room exuded the aura of a sterile, no-nonsense medical facility. That is, if you ignored the slowly swaying chandelier overhead that made no difference whatsoever to the unwavering white light the room was bathed in and the brightly coloured armchair in the corner by the pot plant.

In the time that Tosh had taken to take in her surroundings, the Doctor had pulled a device off a shelf and placed it on the table. It was shaped like a double helix, two clear tubes twisting around on each other, connected by thin rods and mounted on a faintly golden base.

"The thing about poisons from your future, they're all designed to go straight into the bloodstream and be effective almost immediately. It just soaks harmlessly through skin until it finds a vein or an artery. Only way to make sure they work on every species, see? But that makes it a little more predictable. Now, this little beauty, is from the 42nd century. It's very good. A bit ironic really, because all the developers died of poisoning. Which it why it's not so well known I suppose."

He looked up at Toshiko, unconsciously waiting for a 'but what does it _do_?´, and was momentarily thrown by the look of intense wonder on her face.

"It's _beautiful_." She whispered.

The Tardis almost purred.

The Doctor smiled, realising that –for once – he didn't have to explain. It was comforting really, having someone who understood him like – or at least, the technical side of him – like Tosh did. It was almost like having another Timelord around, Except, obviously, not. The Doctor smiled as he set the device up. Tosh smiled also, revelling in the silence. In her opinion, so much could be said and learnt from silence alone. It gave one time to take in the world around them, to discover the fine nuances that were otherwise finely cloaked. Sometimes Tosh couldn't understand why people liked noise so much. Yes, it was comforting sometimes, but a companionable silence was just as good. And you got the added bonus of being able to think and work in peace. Sometimes, silence just _worked_. For all the noise in the world, there had to be someone, somewhere to listen to it all, and silence to compensate. Everything balances.

The blank wall faded up into life and displayed a flickering string of numbers, far too many and changing far too fast for Tosh to do anything but briefly register the numbers. Occasionally, circular symbols appeared in the lower right of the 'screen' but they too flickered off like the string of numbers, fading in and out of existence as if comparing the samples to a database to find matches. Which, Tosh suppose, was probably an accurate 21st century Earth equivalent. The marks on the top left of the screen were the only ones that remained unchanged.

The Doctor, having finished what he had been doing, and lost in silence himself, sensed the question hanging in the air as if Toshiko had asked him aloud.

"It says 'Human. Sol 3. 21st century." The Doctor said quietly, "in the top left, anyway."

Toshiko turned to look at him, smiling. It seemed they had more in common than she thought.

"What language is it in?"

The Doctor paused. When his eyes met hers, Tosh noticed a sudden depth to them, a hidden sadness she hadn't noticed before.

"Gallifreyan. The Tardis, she translates alien languages. But written Gallifreyan, even in other models, is never translated. A bit of a security measure, I suppose. Especially if someone left TARDIS flying instructions around!"

Tosh looed at him for a moment. "So Doctor, are you speaking English now, or Gallifreyan? And do you hear us as English or..?"

The Doctor beamed. "I think you might be the first person who has ever asked me that Ms. Sato."

"Please, Toshiko will do fine."

He nodded and continued, "To be honest with you, originally everything was translated. But after I'd spent long enough on Earth – with a non-functioning TARDIS, too sometimes – I actually learnt the language. And, well, once you know a language well enough, the TARDIS knows it doesn't have to translate for you. If you don't know it well enough, it sort of rebounds at you. Say I didn't know much English, but I said something in English to you, somebody fluent in English. The TARDIS would still translate, but you'd hear Gallifreyan, or your closest known equivalent of it. Actually, I don't know what that would be… Anyway, what you hear now, is me speaking English. Hello!" He waved at her briefly, "Sometimes, I'll slip and revert to what's natural for me. TARDIS translation circuit kicks in, you hear the same thing, just with a slightly different accent."

There was a slight twist in his accent as he explained, showing Tosh the subtle switch between the Doctor's English and the TARDIS' English. To be honest, she couldn't quite put her finger on the difference.

"So, besides English, what other languages are you fluent in?"

"Oh...I don't know. Been around as long as I have and you start losing track. I remember learning the Judoon language way back when. And Common One through Five, well, the 51st century versions of them, anyway. Had to get around for a bit without a TARDIS. Long story. Japanese, I did Japanese for awhile. I think I've forgotten most of it by now though. Great language. Lots of quick thinking involved. I've never been great at Welsh though. _Especially_ written Welsh. I think I misread a street sign once as 'On holiday, be back in a week' instead of what it was meant to say. Oh well."

He shrugged, and then Tosh could tell, just by looking at him, that he had an idea. His smile had widened and taken on an almost 'mad scientist' persona. It was as if a lightbulb had suddenly gone off in his head, or he'd made a connection he never knew existed.

"Ooooh…" he exclaimed, "Ms Sato, do I have something to show _you_!"

He rushed out of the room excitedly.

"Doctor?" Tosh called, instinctively following him. Really, the man – Timelord – was just like Jack, dashing off at the drop of a hat. "Where are you going? And I thought I told you to call me Toshiko!"

She found the Doctor three doors down, back to the door. "Doctor?"

He spun, still blocking the room from her view. He really _did_ look like a mad scientist now.

"I just remembered!" He grinned. "Toshiko Sato, how long has it been? Oh…lifetimes ago. Well, _one_ to be specific…Do you remember? Spacepig?"

Tosh just stared at him. "Doctor…?"

"Oh. Of course. You wouldn't have recognised me. I had a different face back then. Bigger ears. Less hair. Different teeth. Anyway, the point is, a few years ago I stumbled across a farming ship orbiting a planet in the Syroon system. Their HR department gave me a holovid of the animals. So, Toshiko..." He stepped aside. "Spacepig!"

Tosh stared at the holographic pig from the doorway. It looked enough like the one she had once described as a 'spacepig' for her to step into the room and walk around it curiously.

"You mean they actually exist? It wasn't just aliens faking aliens? I mean, it wasn't just a once off…experimentation?"

"Apparently not." The Doctor shrugged, running a hand through his hair. "I tell you what though, it was probably the first. Someone probably just sold the plans off."

"But how can you eat something with that level of technology fused into it's brain?"

The Doctor looked at her for a moment, wondering briefly if her protest was against eating meat with foreign objects in it, abusing technology, or eating technology. He shook his head.

"Nah, they're not being farmed for _food_. The planet they're on is mainly fluid based, both in composition and in diet. They're an energy source. Like electricity. Except electricity on that planet would do more harm than good. Like I said, fluid based."

Tosh blinked for a moment, processing the idea. "So that was you I met back then? Wow. Small world." Her head tilted momentarily to the side as she smiled at him.

He grinned at her for a moment and neither said much until they heard what could only be described as a 'ting' echoing down the hallway from the other room.

"Ah, it's finished. Let's go see what we need to fight that poison."

They ran back to the medical room. The Doctor ran because he liked running. Toshiko ran because she had almost forgotten Ianto and felt quite guilty for it. Ianto was close to being the best friend she (ever) had. The Doctor made it into the room before her and had pulled on his 'brainy specs'.

"Ooh…" he muttered, looking at the 'screen'. "This isn't going to be good… Right Tosh, time to go."

"Wait, what about the antidote?"

"I'm sure there's some of it in the Hub. Trust me. We just have to get back to them."

Naturally, the Doctor ran the rest of the way out of the TARDIS, leaving Tosh with no option but to run after him or get lost in the never-ending maze.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Torchwood, or Doctor Who. Honestly, did you think I did?

The Doctor never broke his stride. If anything, he ran faster, as fast as he could manage. They burst out of the TARDIS and made their way down into the medical bay at a calmer pace. Neither Tosh nor the Doctor wanted to alarm anyone (Jack) by sprinting into the room. The Doctor's head whirled with thoughts, and he wondered briefly what he should say. Jack's head snapped up to look at them as soon as he heard footsteps. Gwen turned around from handing Owen something and stared at them.

Her eyes seemed to be frozen wide open in shock. Jack turned to her and saw in her eyes a hard, guarded expression that had never crossed her face before. In the time he'd been away, they'd all changed. Grown older. Grown up. And now he had to wonder…what was Torchwood _doing_ to them? What was he turning them into? He saw the Doctor, staring at him sadly, as if he knew _exactly_ what was on Jack's mind. Or as if he had bad news.

"Doctor?" Jack whispered, fear clutching his heart.

Owen spun around, taking a deep breath.

"We know what it is." They said together, the quiet words echoing through Jack's mind. He wondered whether they were deliberately creating suspense as they glanced at each other, or if it was, as always, just him; just his mind drawing each second out indefinitely.

The Doctor and Owen exchanged a glance. Good? Bad? What was it? It was all Jack could do to sit still and not demand an answer.

The Doctor turned to him. "Sodium Hypochlorite. Or, more specifically, 3 millilitres of a five percent sodium hypochlorite solution injected directly into the heart within the next ten minutes."

Jack's already pale face blanched visibly. His expression had frozen. His eyes held such a look of horror and a twisted sort of _pain_. He was shaking almost imperceptibly, visible only to the Doctor (who was looking for it) and Tosh (who was just plain brilliant and feeling rather shaky herself).

Gwen's eyes seemed to grow larger (if at all possible). "Sodium hypochlorite? But that's…" She paused as she felt everyone's eyes on her. Especially Jack's, drilling holes in her back.

"Bleach. It's bleach, Jack." Owen finished, looking slightly stressed.

Tosh looked alarmed, but seeing the look on Jack's face, _feeling_ the complete horror rolling off him in waves, she refrained from commenting. Unfortunately, Gwen, who wasn't facing Jack and Ianto, didn't notice. In her defence, she was extremely alarmed.

"But…isn't that toxic or something?" She directed her question at Owen. Tosh glared at Gwen, begging silently that she would just stop. Gwen didn't notice. "It always says, you know, don't get it on your skin, or in your eyes, keep it away from children so they don't drink it. Won't it-" she gasped as she met Toshiko's eyes and then spun around to face Jack. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…"

But Jack was looking at Ianto. The hand he had clasped in his was growing progressively limp and the heat was starting to seep away. The worst part of it was how _peaceful_ Ianto looked. As if he were sleeping, and had pleasant dreams. The faint heartbeat was all Jack had that told him Ianto had yet to fade into the darkness.

"How bad is it Owen? Doctor?" His voice sounded strange and distant to him.

"Jack mate…I don't know. At a certain point, it becomes lethal. It destroys blood vessels and tissue. Kills cells and maybe the neurons in his brain. Internal bleeding…" he trailed off, not wanting to continue.

"But in small amounts," Tosh interjected quickly, "there aren't any serious complications. A little pain and nausea, but that's all. Going by what I've read, anyway."

"Jack?" the Doctor asked quietly, seeing the desperation and pain warring across his face.

Jack took a deep, shuddering breath and cupped his face in his hands. He leant over and brushed Ianto's lips quickly with his own. He walked away quietly, murmuring a passing "Do it." at Owen before climbing shakily up the stairs.

Toshiko and Gwen, about to go after him, were stopped by a sad shake of the head from the Doctor.

"I think Jack has bad memories of needles." He said quietly. And possibly bleach too.

There were moments scarred into the Doctor's mind, memories of loud screams and being forced to watch executions. And tortures. The Master, showing off for his Doctor, showing him how much he had, they had. His next move in their never-ending game, neither with the hearts to win, or lose. Neither wanting the game to end. Not truly.

He remembered vividly the time when he had been integrating himself psychically into networks, whispering softly in minds, passing along messages, giving encouragement, telling Martha what she should do. All hidden from the Master's notice. The amount of times he had felt Jack's brain die, blinking out of existence…he hadn't blocked it. Any of it. He hadn't really tried. It was his fault. His fault the Master targeted Earth. His fault the Jones' were all there. His fault what was happening to Jack. It was another weight for the load he always carried with him, the burden of his great legacy.

"Besides," he added, "We should see to Ianto first."

--

Jack stopped walking as soon as he was out of sight of the medical bay. He slumped against the wall and slid down like into a crouch like a deflating balloon; on the balls of his feet, leaning heavily against the wall, his face once more cupped in his hands. In all his years, all his spare time for thinking, he still didn't know why when in a painful situation, the first response was to curl up and pretend the world was smaller than it proved to be. Even those who knew the very parameters of infinity folded in on themselves and wove illusions to block out reality, losing themselves in the darkness to hide from the world that, in that instant when they were so vulnerable, was so large and formidable.

Jack couldn't do it now. Not even for a moment. Every time the darkness came to relieve him, his memories danced through it. Memories? More like nightmares. Except they were no creation of his mind. They were real insofar as any memory was ever _real_. He pushed them away, and an image of Ianto floated before his eyes instead.

To be entirely honest to himself, Jack didn't know what he was doing. After all, Tosh had said Ianto would be fine, and he trusted Tosh, he really did. And the Doctor would think it was because of the Valiant and the Master and blame himself. In hindsight, it was because of the Valiant that he left. But it was because of something far greater, far older and far more painful that he collapsed in on himself.­­-

It just poked at the same old wound. Mortality. Even if they didn't have to cross that bridge now, it would always be at the end of the path. Inevitable. And Jack would be the only one left behind. The only one unable to join all those he loved on the other side. It wasn't something he liked being reminded of.

So Jack did what Jack always did when he didn't want to talk or think about something. He lashed out.

--

John looked up from the concrete slab of a bench he had been sitting on in the cell.

"Well, well, well. Finally starting to see sense?"

The triumphant smile drained from his face as he noticed Jack's eyes glaring at him, cold and hard. He fleetingly registered a sense of gladness that there was a barrier between them. He didn't dare speak.

"Bleach?" Jack enquired, his voice icy and strangely numb. Distant. "Why in the…_time vortex_ is it bleach?"

John sighed. He knew the game was up. A cocky con man though he might be, John _always_ put his own interests – and safety – first. And right now, he didn't know what would happen if he didn't reply.

"I was on several Trinite planets before I came here."

Jack laughed bitterly. "So if the poison didn't kill them, the antidote would?"

John grinned. "Pretty brilliant if I do say so myself. And before that, it was the second 32nd century in Sector 8023. You know, how everything screwed up and the Time Agency had to re wind an entire century? They never did explain why…" he shrugged noncommittally, "Anyway. Bleach didn't exist then. Like one of those Dark Ages when everything is lost. I don't know. Maybe the higher-ups just didn't like bleach. I'm telling you though, it made it a hell lot harder to-" He stopped suddenly.

"If he dies, so do you. Bear that in mind."

John looked into Jack's eyes and never doubted it for a second.


	12. Chapter 12

Okay. I'd just like it know that I actually won't be continuing this. Yes, there's an ending written. But the gap between here and that eventual ending? There's miles to go. I mean, they have to get the Doctor out of Torchwood and then Jack and Ianto have to reconcile (and fall into bed together somehow. *shrug*) But since I'm not going anywhere with this, since I can't get back into the mindset I had when I wrote this, have the last installment of writing from two-(three?)-years-younger!me.

* * *

Ianto blinked groggily, instinctively shutting his eyes against the sudden harsh light of the medical bay. He groaned and opened his eyes slowly, the lids still flickering slightly. Figures swam into his vision as blurs of colour. It took far too much concentration than he was ready to apply to focus on them properly. He lay there for a moment without moving, mentally assessing the situation – and potential damage – as best he could while his mind felt…so fuzzy…clouded…and all he really, _really _ wanted to do was…

"Ianto?"

His mind snapped onto the voice, grasping onto it. He moaned slightly.

"Owen. Lights."

The harshness dimmed.

"Ianto?"

Ianto felt obliged to open his eyes.

"Jack." He replied, though his vision was still limited. The colours swarming before his eyes gradually redefined themselves into forms. Right now, Jack was a blue blob hovering at his side.

"Right, Ianto. Pain? Nausea?" Owen's voice came from the other side of the bed.

"Headache. A sort of dull throb. Can't really see properly. It's all a bit of a blur at the moment. Disorientation. Hearing's fine. Gwen, don't even _think_ about touching the coffee machine. Ten fingers, ten toes. Memory…perfect. No broken bones, slight loss of dignity - no change there then."

Owen blinked. "Oh, you're fine. Just don't get up until you can see again. Jack, there's a bucket under the table if nausea sets in. Make sure you get it in time if he needs it. If you don't…well, then you're cleaning up. Not me, not Ianto. The Doctor's going to stay here, so if you need anything get him. Tosh, Gwen and I are off to get those 'radiation cluster bombs' or whatever they are. At the end of the day, they're still alien tech and they're still giving off a signal Tosh can trace. If the Doctor comes out of his magical ship will you ask him what the hell they are?"

Jack nodded.

"Right then, we're off. Call if you need anything."

Ianto's vision cleared as Owen made his way out of the Hub. He glanced at Jack and was surprised to see Jack wasn't meeting his eyes.

"Jack?"

Jack took a deep breath and turned to Ianto with a shaky smile. "Hello."

"What happened? The last thing I remember was…"

"Kissing John. Yeah. I know."

Ianto flinched. "Well, what happened? How did I get here?"

"You were poisoned. When he kissed you, the poison on his lips transferred to yours and activated."

"Well," Ianto muttered, "won't be kissing _him_ again any time soon."

This was met with silence.

Ianto turned.

"Jack?"

He wasn't looking at Ianto.

"Jack, what's wrong?"

Jack closed his eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. "Never. Don't _ever_ scare me like that again. I thought…I thought…"

And then all of a sudden Jack had tears in his eyes. Ianto reached out for him, not quite sure if this was real or...

"You thought you'd lost me." He said quietly, taking Jack's hand in his own. "Well. That's quite alright. Because I thought I'd lost you."

Oh…he hoped this was just a dream. What had made him say that? He noticed belatedly he wasn't even properly dressed, his suit jacket thrown roughly over the rails, his tie on the floor and his shirt unbuttoned.

It didn't feel right.

He let go of Jack's hand and started doing up the buttons. Halfway up, he noticed two had torn off. Oh. And Jack's eyes on him.

"Ianto…"

"Well…This shirt won't do then. I've some spare ones. I'll just go get changed." Ianto blurted.

"Ianto?"

"I'll be right back sir." Ianto smiled. "I'll see what I can do about some coffee too. And Myfanwy needs feeding, no doubt."

It was all Jack could do to smile back into the rhythms of the game.

Ianto reappeared a little while later, properly encased in his layers, looking quite normal but for his slightly bloodshot eyes. He crossed the Hub and headed straight for the coffee machine, fully aware he was being observed from Jack's office.

Jack watched him nervously. He'd always been told brushes with death brought one back to reality, that death brought out the appeal in the little things. Often, he disregarded talk altogether. If anyone was the expert on death, it was surely him, and not some busybody street gossip with enough life in her to keep her far from death for a while yet.

A 'while' was an insignificant measure for a man who would, from all sources, live forever. But then, being given time…shouldn't he live it? His mind was scarred and imperfect, a knurled and tangled mess…but…but what?

He walked down slowly to join Ianto.

Ianto heard the footsteps, distantly, but didn't pay attention until Jack cleared his throat behind him. He spun around.

"Jack! I – I was just coming up with your coffee."

Jack smiled but the twinkle of his eyes had lost a little lustre.

"I was thinking…dinner? A movie? You know…" Jack shrugged, "to celebrate."

"Celebrate what, sir?"

_The fact that you're not dead._

"Oh, you know. Life. You did ask – don't think I forgot that."

Ianto cocked his head to one side. "You're asking me on a date sir."

Jack winced. "Could we maybe drop the 'sir' now? I mean…while I was away-" _while you were dying_ "- I was thinking…" He stopped abruptly. "How are you Ianto?"

Ianto just looked at him. "All the better for having you back…Jack."

Jack beamed at him. "So, interested?"

Ianto hesitated.

"Oh."

"It's not that I'm saying no!" Ianto protested, "It's just…well, I rather feel like just…going home and getting some sleep. Near-death experiences seem to take a lot out of me."

"You could…stay here. I mean…I'm sure…the TARDIS…my room…"

Ianto gave him a strained smile. "Jack, I appreciate the offer, really I do...but…I really do just want to go home."

Jack took a deep breath. "Right. Of course. Well…I'll drive you back-"

"That won't be necessary. Really. You should keep an eye out for the others. I can get home myself."

Jack frowned but continued slowly, "-and if you feel any pain, nausea, _anything_, give me a call."

Ianto rolled his eyes.

* * *

And that's my indefinite end. Maybe one day I'll stop cringing enough to read through it and give it the ending it deserves. All I'm saying is...either way, don't expect anything. Thank you, everyone. Sorry you had to put up me me throwing wild emotions all over the place.


End file.
